The Game
by Nanaki BH
Summary: [RenoxRufus] Looking back, Rufus remembers what it was he liked so much about Reno in the first place.


Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all associated materials are property of Squaresoft.

The Game  
By: Nanaki BH

He could never be quite sure of what it was. There was something connecting the two of them, something like a chain that was dragged between them. It wasn't heavy; not like a ball and chain, no. It was a link, a bond. The moment their eyes had connected that day, some force forever after kept them connected.

Reno had been brought before him three years prior to the Meteor events. His father, President Shinra at the time, introduced them and at first Rufus wasn't even a little excited to be meeting the new Turk. Turks came and went like cheap, usable tools. But that day when he met Reno, there was something in his eyes that convinced him otherwise. From that day forward, he was expecting more from the Turks. If they all had a fire in them similar to the vigor that Reno had blazing in his eyes, then Rufus was positive that he could expect great things.

He was brought before him a beaten, trodden-looking kind of soul. His red hair was showing its black roots, the scars under his eyes at the time were fresh wounds; his entire being was slack and weak. Behind him his arms were drawn by ropes to keep him from struggling. He didn't even look like the type who would struggle; not from the look of things, though. When he looked up into Rufus's eyes, he realized that there was indeed a vicious fighting spirit inside of him. After all, he wouldn't have been considered for the job as a Turk if he didn't have some sort of fight in him.

It turned out that he wasn't struggling because if he did, his situation would have only ended up that much worse. He wasn't becoming a Turk because he wanted to. As Rufus later found out, he hated the Turks. All of his life, he told him, he was fighting against Shinra… everybody. He was a loser, a gang member, a piece of street trash – a weapons dealer. He was captured with some effort after he had attempted to resist arrest. He had been illegally providing weapons to rebel groups who conspired against the Shinra Electric Power Company.

Truth be told, they were the same age. So when they "let him meet" the new addition to their staff, he was surely surprised to find that they weren't that far apart in age. Even though he was dirty and scraped up, there was something undoubtedly attractive about him. Maybe it was the way that his hair hung in front of his face or the way that his perfectly red blood dripped down to his chin from the cuts high on his cheeks. Whatever it was, it had Rufus intrigued from the moment he laid eyes on him. His father promised that Reno, the poor excuse for a man in front of him, would belong to him someday to control and master.

It was a tempting proposition. Of course, his father didn't mean it in the way that Rufus took him but he was thrilled by it nonetheless. He waved him off with a flippant gesture and Reno was dragged away, his eyes never leaving him until he was forced out the door. For the rest of that night, Rufus sat on his bed with a wine glass in hand, absently swirling the contents as his mind similarly swirled around thoughts of their new executive.

For about an entire month they saw each other; just short, passing glances in the other's direction. They never had a real chance to talk directly and Rufus started to believe that he had passed up his only one, real chance to get to know him when he was introduced to him. When two people meet, they exchange names. In their case, they knew each other even before they saw each other. But just knowing the other's name didn't mean that either of them really knew or understood each other.

Rufus never entirely wanted to give away his intents for Reno; not so long as his father was in charge. When those passing glances occurred, he purposely put no emotion behind his eyes. It was a practiced look, one that he came up with while looking in his mirror for that exact purpose. Reno's looks always changed. One day, while standing around the recreation room, he would send him a sultry, I-want-to-get-in-your-pants stare and then the next he would give him a look of total disdain.

It was that look in his eyes that worried Rufus the most; made him feel like he was putting all of Reno's subtle efforts to waste. Sometimes he had to worry that Reno would come to him with a more forward approach. Although that should have excited him, he was frightened that forward displays of affection would only land them in a very sticky situation.

But nothing would satisfy him. The glances they shared where only glances at best. They never talked or accidentally bumped into each other; never anything quite so romantic. Although, there were times when they would pass each other and Rufus could smell the gun powder that clung to every fiber of Reno's suit. It was somewhat of a turn-on; a dirty, rotten indulgence that Rufus knew he definitely shouldn't be indulging in. He did it anyway, closing his eyes briefly, if only for a few seconds, to imagine Reno killing, shooting, getting covered in blood, wanting desperately to kiss the hands that did so much undoing.

His eyes would open and Reno would already be gone down a hall or a corridor, not to be seen nearly as soon again as the young vice president would ever wish. He couldn't be sure of what it was about Reno that made him think that way; especially in that sick way that made his own stomach turn with a hint of pleasure. Perhaps, he thought, it was because there was so much more to him.

In those eyes of his, he figured. That's where he could find the reason why he felt about him the way he did.

Because it wasn't that Reno was killing for the fun of it. He was a much more obedient dog than that.

Author's Notes: That was "#13, Excessive Chain" for 30kisses. Sadly, my fire is going out. It's summer and I had to write something for my claim and unfortunately, this fic was a product of horrible writer's block. I write best in school, I think. Anyway, if anybody has an idea for this pairing, please tell me or request something so I can work with a fresh, new idea. You know I appreciate what you've got to say. Thanks for reading!


End file.
